Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away. Matthew 5:42
A panhandler came up to me one day in uptown Saint John and bummed for some money. I pointed to the smelly, shrivelled cigarette he held in his other hand and told him that he must have more money than me, because I couldn’t afford to burn mine. With a sneering insult, he lurched away to find a more willing victim. Had I just violated the precept contained in today’s text? Did Jesus intend that we should give to panhandlers and others who would take advantage of our generosity?
Although I have little sympathy with those who are the victims of their own foolishness and those who prey on the gullible, I do believe we could be more generous than we sometimes are. Professional panhandlers aside, there are many people who cross our paths who would be truly helped by a handout. Many of these people submit their requests, not in writing, but in the pathetic circumstances in which we find them. If we would open our minds to their circumstances, and open our hearts to their plight, we would be more helpful in representing our Lord in meeting their needs.
There are two types of generosity that we need to consider when sharing with people: sharing our resources and sharing the Gospel. As far as our resources go, they are not truly ours, but have been loaned to us from the Lord. If we really accept that they are His, we would be a little more willing to share them with others in need. There are many Christians who would be lifted and encouraged if we were to share a $20 bill or an apple pie or a few clothes with them. We could ask the Lord to help us identify such folks. This type of generosity is also an effective way to reach the unsaved, by letting them know that we care because our Saviour cares. I remember the large gardens that my parents used to plant, far larger than to meet the needs of their own table. Their delight was to share their produce with other folks who had no gardens. I don’t believe their generosity ever went to waste.
When it comes to sharing the Gospel, we face the fear of man. An appreciation of our own salvation and an awareness of the desperate need of sinners around us might open our hearts to share the greatest of all possible tidings. Gospel tracts are inexpensive, so we can afford to give one to everybody we meet. But we might be more effective if we asked the Holy Spirit to guide us in offering tracts to those who should receive them. In any event, just sharing the Gospel will do us good and may well be what some contact is searching for.
The Lord Jesus was never stingy. His people should not be so either. Remember, takers eat better, but givers sleep better. -Jim MacIntosh